Raine, Raine, Go Away...
by Theo 'Blitz' Leung
Summary: Laguna returns to Winhil to face a past that haunted him for many years...recalling once forgotten memories of those he cared for...


****

Raine, Raine, go away…

By: Theodore Leung

[TheoLeung@Sprint.ca][1]

Laguna eyes were on the star full night. The stars so familiar; yet, so different. Familiar on that day, different in the present. Laguna scratched the back of his head, noticing he hadn't washed his hair for a bit. He removed the hair band from his hair and let the wind blow the black strands. He didn't really have much time to do anything after being elected president of Esthar City. Well, I guess you couldn't call it much of an election since he didn't really much of a choice.

Laguna Loire let out a loud sigh that echoed through out the windy land. It was cold, but what would you expect when he was only wearing a thin white shirt. He wasn't the type to curse, but regretted not wearing a thicker shirt.

The grass bent down, the wind pressuring the steams of green into the ground. The winding dirt road to this location was rough, representing the little travel that came over here. Well, it's kind of expected considering what lay here. Laguna raised his right hand and examined the ring he had. The one identical to her ring…

* * * * * *

"Laguna! Where are you going?" the voice said behind the writer. Laguna stopped his trot, his machine gun rattling over his shoulder. Thankfully, he remembered the safety this time. Last time he went into Ellone's house, he forget to place the safety on; and, well, it would explain the bullet holes in the wall…

The machine gun wielding writer turned around to find Raine running up to him. She stopped in front of the leaving man and was panting hard, trying to get her breath back. "Where…are you going?" Raine coughed out.

"The usual," Laguna told her, helping her catch her breath by giving her some of his water from a canteen. Laguna stared out in the distance. He could see Kiros walking off, probably leaving the two alone. Laguna looked back and saw Raine finish drinking. She sealed the canteen and gave it back to the formerly injured man.

"You never told me," Raine said to Laguna. Laguna smiled, then placed the canteen in his breast pocket.

"I thought you were used to the schedule by now," Laguna replied. Raine just whacked him in the chest. "Okay, I'm sorry!" Laguna quickly said, raising his arms up in surrender.

"Good!" Raine answered angrily. She turned around and crossed her arms. The bar owner was about to leave, but Laguna stopped her by grabbing her arm. Raine was twisted around before she knew it and was about to slap Laguna, but the man placed something on her finger. The metallic surface was cold against her skin, but the slight sting was worth it.

"Oh my…" Raine muttered, realizing what just happened. Her right left hand now wore a ring. She looked up and gazed into Laguna's eyes. The man just rose his hand and showed her an exactly identical ring on his right hand. Raine smiled and jumped on the man for joy, the two twisting around.

* * * * * *

That was in this place, 18 years ago that Laguna proposed to Raine. The memories poured back like it was yesterday. Laguna remembered the joy on Raine's face as. The two got married about a week later, despite the swarm of monsters and the resentment of the some citizens that were left. Ellone was so happy….

"Ellone…" Laguna whispered. He shivered. A sudden gust of wind chilling him. Again, his memories engulfed his mind…the time of sorrow, anger, and death…

* * * * * *

"ELLONE!!" Laguna cried out, running back towards the town of Winhil. He held his machine gun in his right hand, a grenade in his left. Kiros ran behind him, followed by the lumbering Ward. Gunfire rang out in the distant, causing Laguna to speed up. Trails of Galbadia corpse made a trail to the center of the city, gun holes and slash marks were all over each body. Esthar bodies also lay, but the ratio of Esthar corpses to Galbadian ones was about 2:1.

"ELLONE!!" Laguna cried out again. He knew Raine would be safe as long as she didn't interfere, but Ellone wasn't…

"Laguna! Wait up!" Kiros shouted behind him. Laguna ignored the request and ran into the township, only to find many Esthar soldiers there. Laguna gritted his teeth, then tossed the now unpinned grenade into the crowd before anyone could react. The man didn't care if Galbadiains fell, as long as Ellone was safe…

Laguna started spraying fire into the crowd, each screaming in pain. The steady sound of fire from his gun was suddenly replaced by the clicking sound. Laguna cursed yet again and shoved another cartridge into the gun, then pointed it forward.

"Stop!" one of the Esthar soldiers commanded. He held Ellone by his side, keeping his weapon near the young child's body. The child whimpered in fear.

"You fail if you kill her," Laguna told the commander, keeping a steady aim on him. Laguna remained vigilant; yet, his thoughts were on failure…

"You going to take that chance?" the commander replied calmly. Laguna hated mind games, but he couldn't fail Ellone…

_"I fail if she dies," _Laguna told himself. The two stood still, the Esthar soldiers standing, anxious about the outcome.

"You win," Laguna said in dismay. He placed the safety on the machine gun and slung it over his shoulder. Kiros and Ward finally caught up with the writer, only to see the Esthar troops walking away.

"We lost, huh?" Kiros asked. Laguna just walked away; disgusted with the outcome of events.

* * * * * *

That was four months after Raine and Laguna got married. Laguna stood there stunned at the recollections. Seventeen years and eight months ago, he started his crusade to free Ellone from the Esthar's grasp…

"Was it that long?" Laguna asked the stars, hoping for a reply. None came, causing Laguna to sigh, then frown. Yes, it was that time ago Laguna left what he then called 'home'. It was something he regrets doing right now…despite the noble intention…

* * * * * *

"Laguna, you're going, right?" Raine asked her husband. Laguna looked at his wife nodded. "I'm due in seven months. Are you sure?" Raine asked in a concerned voice. She patted her stomach that held the young fetus.

"I'll be back before our child is born, don't worry," Laguna told Raine confidently. Raine's face didn't show her satisfaction, but she agreed to it.

"You promise?" Raine persisted. Laguna walked up to his wife and kissed her.

"I promise," the ex-soldier told his wife. "I'll bring back Ellone so we can all celebrate," Laguna continued, full of confidence. He kissed his wife one more time, then left the room. If he looked back for a second, he would've seen a tear fall from Raine's cheek.

* * * * * *

Laguna looked at the ground in front of him. The tablet there made him feel miserable, or perhaps it was depression, it was really hard to tell. His chain of thought was something he couldn't break. He recalled each memory, even the ones he regretted…

* * * * * *

"Ellone, you have to go…" Laguna told the little child, trying to reason with her. "It's too dangerous here," Laguna continued. The stubborn child shook her head in disagreement.

"But I want to be here with you, Uncle Laguna!" Ellone screamed out. The two were in the rebel base in Esthar City. This is where all the people who want Sorceress Adel down in the radical way meet, and this is where those who can't be in public stay. Currently, these two arguing people occupied one of the spare rooms.

"You can't," Laguna replied calmly. "It's too dangerous here." Laguna couldn't get mad at Ellone, she was just too cute!

"I'll be safe with you!" Ellone told Laguna. "I'm always safe with Uncle Laguna!" The young and naïve child continued her persistence.

"Please," Laguna begged the child. Ellone remained silent for a few moments, taking serious thought over the situation.

"You promise to come back soon?" Ellone asked. Laguna eyes raised with hope.

"I promise to come back as soon as I finish with Adel," Laguna responded. Ellone just smiled.

"Okay!" she replied joyfully. "I'll be waiting!" Laguna just smiled at the enthusiasm of the young girl.

* * * * * *

"I should've gone with her," the ex-soldier said out loud. "At least that way, I could've kept my promise to Raine…" The Esthar president stared into the sky, recalling the memories of his return to Winhil…

* * * * * *

"She can't be…" Laguna gasped out. After his rise to president for the Esthar City, he had almost no time to return to Winhil. With the little time he had, he decided to return, only to be told tragic news.

"She is," the flower shop owner told Laguna. "She died a few days after giving birth. She seemed depressed." The flower shopkeeper frowned. "Most of the citizens resent you and blame her death on you," the flower shopkeeper told Laguna.

"How about Ellone?" Laguna asked hopefully, only to get the sad response that she was taken to an orphanage. Laguna left the shop, depressed and angry.

* * * * * *

"I wish I'd gone with Ellone," Laguna said to the tablet on the ground. There, it said 'Here lies Raine Loire'. "At least that way, I could've seen you one more time," Laguna told the grave. The wind howled, blowing his shirt and causing him to tremble. He came back here, ignoring the resentment from the citizens. He heard that a spirit haunted the town, and if his intuition served right, he knew who the spirit is.

"I'm sorry Raine!" Laguna cried out, screaming at the starry night. "For everything I've done! I knew I should be with you! I knew I broke my promise and it hurts a lot! I wish I could see you one more time!" no response came, much to Laguna's dismay. Laguna looked down at the tablet once again, his heart wanted to jump out for his betrayal to Raine. He promised he'd be back, and he destroyed it for another one…one to destroy Adel.

"WAS ADEL WORTH THIS!?!" Laguna screamed out in frustration. "WAS IT WORTH IT TO DESTROY THE MENACE TO THE WORLD ONLY TO SUFFER FOR ETTERNITY?! IS IT!?!" Laguna looked into the sky. Each star seemed to grow brighter, seeming to pity the widower. The president fell on top of the grave, weeping for his betrayal.

* * * * * *

Laguna stood by the grave of Raine Loire. Last night, he cried for Raine, in hopes for forgiveness, but none ever came. Laguna mood was not improving, but he wanted to pay his last respect. In his hands, he held a white rose

"I'm sorry Raine, for not being there for you," he started, mournfully. "I know I broke my promise and it hurts me everyday thinking about it. I regret everyday of my life that I wasn't there and I know I can't ask for forgiveness. I'm just here to say that I know your soul is not at peace because of me, and I wish to help you rest." Laguna removed the white rose form his grip and placed it on the grave. White roses were Raine's favorite flowers. Laguna knelt down and prayed for his wife's soul. For some reason, his heart seemed to lighten, like there wasn't as much burden. Laguna stood up, knowing his job was complete.

"Good-bye, my love," Laguna said out loud. He turned and walked away, going to join the others with their celebration about destroying the Sorceress of the future…his pain for the last 17 years seeming to vanish…

Fin

   [1]: mailto:TheoLeung@Sprint.ca



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